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[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5974 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5974

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 25, 2018

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use on-site regulated 
   medical waste treatment systems at certain Department of Veterans 
              Affairs facilities, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Veterans Affairs 
Creation of On-Site Treatment Systems Affording Veterans Improvements 
and Numerous General Safety Enhancements Act'' or the ``VA COST SAVINGS 
Enhancements Act''.

SEC. 2. USE OF ON-SITE REGULATED MEDICAL WASTE TREATMENT SYSTEMS AT 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FACILITIES.

    (a) Identification of Facilities.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall identify Department of Veterans Affairs facilities that 
would benefit from cost savings associated with the use of an on-site 
regulated medical waste treatment system over a five-year period.
    (b) Regulated Medical Waste Cost Analysis Model.--For purposes of 
carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall develop a uniform 
regulated medical waste cost analysis model to be used to determine the 
cost savings associated with the use of an on-site regulated medical 
waste treatment system at Department facilities. Such model shall be 
designed to calculate savings based on--
            (1) the cost of treating regulated medical waste at an off-
        site location under a contract with a non-Department entity, 
        compared to
            (2) the cost of treating regulated medical waste on-site, 
        based on the equipment specification of treatment system 
        manufacturers, with capital costs amortized over a ten-year 
        period.
    (c) Installation.--At each Department facility identified under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall secure, install, and operate an on-
site regulated medical waste treatment system.
    (d) Use of Blanket Purchase Agreement.--Any medical waste treatment 
system purchased pursuant to this section shall be purchased under the 
blanket purchase agreement known as the ``VHA Regulated Medical Waste 
On-Site Treatment Equipment Systems Blanket Purchase Agreement'' or any 
successor, contract, agreement, or other arrangement.
    (e) Regulated Medical Waste Defined.--In this section, the term 
``regulated medical waste'' has the meaning given such term under 
section 173.134(a)(5) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, 
concerning regulated medical waste and infectious substances, or any 
successor regulation, except that, in the case of an applicable State 
law that is more expansive, the definition in the State law shall 
apply.

SEC. 3. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.

    No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
the requirements of this Act. Such requirements shall be carried out 
using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 24, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.
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